


“Our Idea”

by CassRed_64



Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Bullying, Confessions, Dysfunctional Family, Emotional Hurt, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, M/M, Manipulation, Minor Original Character(s), Misunderstandings, Slow Burn, Smeets (Invader Zim), ZaDr, add more tags as story goes on, characters age through fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-16
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:06:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22276066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CassRed_64/pseuds/CassRed_64
Summary: The Almighty Tallest Red and Purple want smeet Zim out of the picture. Professor Membrane wants his kid, Dib to be distracted by something or someone from his obsession of the supernatural. A newly arrived invader gives the Tallest an idea, Professor Membrane gets intertwine with the Tallest’s plans. Both Zim and Dib are forced together by the twist of their realities and new adventures await the two.
Relationships: Dib/Zim (Invader Zim)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 34





	1. A Little Problem

In the outer reaches of space, the gigantic ship known as the Massive was heading out to the other side of the galaxy. The almighty tallest Red and Purple were going to go through their usual routine of looking over the newly arrived smeets in the Smeetery. 

Red and Purple went out of the Massive and were greeted by a few irken caretakers and a smeet drone. 

“My tallest it is an honor to meet you in the flesh, we thought you wouldn’t be coming for another millennium.” The smaller irkens paid their respects by shaking their antenna and saluting their tallest. 

Red and Purple motioned their efforts with a simple head nod and made their way around the Smeetery. The tallest wanted to get this part of their job over with so they could relax in the control room having snacks and barking out orders to the smaller irkens. 

Purple was the first one to complain to Red, “Why do we even have to come here anyway? Like, that’s what the smeet drones and caretakers are for. They can detect any problems that could happen.” Purple signed out loud to Red, Red was reading from his tablet about some backlogs regarding the Smeetery. 

Without looking up from his tablet, “you know as well as I do that since as far back as the existence of the control brains that we have to see the future potential of all soon to be invaders.”

Purple gave Red a glance and rolled his eyes at Red, “whatever, I just don’t see the point, like the drones, know how to look for height and loyalty, what else is there to look for?” 

“ **Defects”** Red emphasized with distaste, Purple remembering also changed his expression to disgust at the same thought that had come to Red at the mention of the word.

**“Zim ''** both said to themselves, the smeet drone that had accompanied them earlier had something to say to the two tallest. 

“Excuse me my tallest,” both Red and Purple were startled by the drone and turned their heads in unison. 

“What does a mere drone want with...” Red started “Us?” Purple finished, “my tallest, I have at your request to report to you the findings and process of the defect known as Zim.” 

Purple shrieked at the mention of Zim, this frightened the caretakers, Red still had a calm demeanor, but there was anger in his eyes. The drone didn’t pay any mind to the tallest’s actions, “my tallest, Zim continues to fail at all primary levels that require him to continue to move up to be considered a proper irken, let alone a possible irken invader.”

Purple stopped shrinking after hearing the drone’s report, one of Red’s eyes rising in a questioning matter, “drone, what specifically is Zim even doing with the rest of the smeets?”

Red asked, Purple moving back next to Red, “Zim should have been killed by now, why is he still among us!?” Purple demanded the drone to answer. 

“My tallest should remember that the control brains did sentence Zim to death, but once they tried to kill him, they were almost corrupted by Zim’s pak.” 

The caretakers moved back from the tallest for fear of further angering them more. Red looked over to Purple, Purple did the same to Red, mentally they both decided to continue this conversation elsewhere. 

“That is all drone, you are dismissed,” Red said to the drone and moved back in the direction of where the caretakers were originally going to take the two to see the new smeets. 

Purple joined Red, but stopped briefly to look back at the drone, “drone how dare you to talk like that to your tallest! You should be grateful that your report was intriguing, otherwise, you would be recycled into something more useful.” Purple declared to the drone before turning back to return to Red and the caretakers.

The drone didn’t pay the tallest any mind and went back to taking care of its assigned smeets. 

“My...Tallest...” One of the caretakers wanted to continue the tour but from what the drone had said to the tallest, they weren’t in a good mood anymore and wanted to get to the new smeets and leave to go back to the Massive. 

“When are you going to show us the new smeets, ha?” Purple insistent to all the caretakers, “do we need to get forceful here?” Red asked while Purple was giving the smaller ikrens death stares.

“No! My Tallest! We are almost there, it will be just another five minutes before we see them.” The shortest caretaker had spoken up since the other two were too scared to talk back to the tallest. 

“Good, you will lead us to the chamber, is that okay with you?” Red explained, Purple nodded to Red's suggestion, but his expression didn’t change.

“Of course my tallest, no problem at all,” said the short caretaker. This left the other caretakers to walk on eggshells now until the tallest’s work was complete. 

In Purple’s head, he wanted to throw the three out of the Smeetery. Normally, it would be the airlock, but since he wasn’t in the Massive, the nearest exit would suffice for him. When Red gave out his order though, he knew that meant that they would live until they screw up again. Purple cursed under his breath and moved along with Red to the teleporters. 

Once they arrived on the right floor the caretakers moved along and showed the tallest a chamber with see-through windows that let the tallest see everything without having to enter the room. A smeet drone was taking care of the smeets by setting up small combat areas for them to learn basic fighting techniques. 

Zim was trying to group up with the others, but the smeet drone brushed and pushed Zim to remain in a corner. From the tallest point of view, it looked like Zim was protesting his treatment and tried over and over to prove that he was a proper irken and soon to be an invader. With no luck, Zim moved to a different corner where he acted like he didn’t care what the others were doing, but it seemed he was keeping himself busy. Red and Purple watched this display for five minutes before growing bored and irritated.

The two moved away from the chamber, “look at him Red, he should know already what he did and why he is getting treated this way!” Purple exploded to Red at a safe distance away from the others.

Red listening to his companion put his tablet away and faced Purple, “it’s obvious that Zim is an idiot and the control brains are taking their sweet time finding a way to kill him or at the very least exile him.” Red explained to Purple, Purple hated the fact that they would have to wait for the control brains to do anything to Zim, “if they would let me throw him out the airlock like the others then we wouldn’t be in this situation!” Purple countered to Red, Red nodded in approval with Purple, but at the same time, he thought hard about what would happen if they did throw him out the airlock. 

“Don’t get me wrong Pur, but I think deep down that somehow Zim would find a way to come back to us and do far worse if we leave him to die.” Purple shifted his posture in defiance, scrunching his face, “fuck! Red, I hate when you might be right...” Purple wanted this ordeal to be over with so there wouldn’t be too much work dealing with Zim anymore. 

“I’m right and you know it Pur,” Red declared to Purple and decided to go back to the caretakers to explain what their remaining roles would be for the time. 

“You three will escort us back to the Massive this minute is that clear?” Red directed, Purple spoke next, “if you so much as breathe wrong you will be killed instantly.” 

All caretakers scrambled up and moved to the elevators to wait for further instructions, “this way my tallest” all said in unison. 

Red and Purple moved along and headed out through into the elevators. Once they arrived back at the Massive, Purple went ahead of Red and back inside the Massive.

Red called over the smallest caretaker, Red bend down at the caretaker’s antenna, “I need you to keep tabs on Zim for me to see if there is a way to remove him faster from the Smeetery.” Red whispered to the small irken, “yes my tallest it will be done!” With a salute, the smaller irken fled back to his post. 

Once back on the Massive the tallest took their place back to sitting in the middle of the control room, awaiting drinks and snacks to arrive for them while Red was giving orders to the navigators. 

The Massive changed course to FoodCourtia to restock the snack supply for the tallest and the irken population that worked on the Massive. Red took out his tablet to read any reports that he might have received when he and Purple were at the Smeetery. Nothing much, just expect a few messages to address some planets that new invaders conquered and one message about a new invader coming to work at the Massive.

“Invader Rein...” Red spoke out loud to himself, “Rein who is this Rein irken?” Purple interrupted Red’s thought. 

Red turned his head to face Purple, “if you looked at your tablet you would see the same reports as I got. Rein is an invader who conquered the planet Yaonope a few weeks ago and the control brains were ever so pleased with their results that they had them assign to work with us, remember Pur..?” Red gave Purple a smirk to show who at the very least had the brains of the pair. 

“Of course I remember Red! Shit!!! Thinking you one-up me just cause you do more of the formal work doesn’t make you the better leader Red!” Purple shoved his face closer to Red in his emotional state, his eyes searing Red’s presence. 

Red wanted to laugh at his companion’s response but re-framed from doing so to go back to the conversation at hand. “I know this Pur, but it’s adorable to see you react this way. Besides, you help me with formal work, don’t you? I help you with the physical work if need be, so all is fair, right Pur? Red tried to persuade Purple while Purple was boiling over Red’s comments.

“Whatever Red, and don’t you fucking Pur me right now! I agree with you alright! Just stop butting heads with me so we can relax and order someone to do stuff for us, okay?!” Purple was emotionally exhausted from having to deal with Red’s antics and just wanted to be pampered because of this morning’s mess and  **Zim…**

“Fine, fine Pur, don’t get your armor in a twist alright? As I said, I was messing with you, and it’s always fun to poke fun at you,” Red said to Purple with a wide smile on his face.

Purple knew Red wanted to laugh at him, so in responding to Red’s statement, he quickly poked Red’s cheek hard to where Red had to move from Purple’s claws.

“Irk! Pur, I get it alright I won’t make fun of you anymore today, okay?” Red said while moving away from Purple, “  **today** !!!” Purple’s switch was flipped and started to move out of his seat to hurt Red, Red knowing he went too far got out of his seat before Purple could catch him. 

“Can’t catch me Pur, you know I had the better stamina between the two of us, so give up!” Red said while running away from a very upset Purple. 

This display of the two tallest running around lasted for a little awhile, the navigators tried their best to ignore the two while they were just trying to do their jobs. The last time one of them got distracted it almost caused damage to the Massive, this led to tallest Purple to throw the one responsible out the airlock. They didn’t want a repeat of the last time, so they kept typing away while the doors of the control room opened up mysteriously and out came an irken who looked frantic in his appearance.

“My tallest, my tallest!” The poor irken needed to speak to either one to explain something urgently. 

The two broke out of their brawl after hearing the noisy irken yell at them, “what do you want!!! Red and Purple both yelled at the smaller irken, who interrupted their “excursion.” 

The irken fell back and bowed down apologetically, “so sorry my tallest! I need to explain an emergency that has just occurred!” The irken didn’t want to be killed for his rude interruption nor did he want to be killed for not explaining what he just saw. 

“My tallest, I need to relay some horrible findings! Please let me explain!” The irken spoke out to Red and Purple. 

The two noticed the irken’s desperation was annoying them both and together moved back to their seats, “quit your extraneous noise and elaborate already!” Red demanded, Purple was giving the irken the death glare, he was still in an irritable mood from Red, this intrusion didn’t help. 

The irken quickly explained his situation, “my tallest it has come to my attention that somehow  **Zim** ...” 

“ **What about Zim** !!?” The two gasped at the irken’s statement, “he is on the Massive, sirs...” The whole crew and tallest screeched at the top of their lungs. 

“Why didn’t you say something earlier than!” Red blasted the irken and right away called for reinforcements.

“Where is Zim now?” Red questioned the irken, “this is the worst thing to happen today!” Purple lamented out loud. 

“The last time I saw him my tallest, he was heading for the ventilation system to find you my tallest,” the irken explained. 

Purple clenched his fits and was ready to start randomly throwing irkens out the airlock. Red moved his right claw in front of Purple to prevent him from moving, “as much as I love it when you get violent Pur, now is not a good time,” Red explained to Purple. 

Purple knew that Red was right, any other irken who would try to reason with Purple would have had their life ended then and there, only Red could reason with Purple. Red using his tablet to order all reinforcements to look over every room to find Zim before he could mess with the Massive, let alone with them. 

In the Smeetery, Zim while in the corner of the chamber learned with the help of his pak how to hack the room’s system. Once in the system, he started with the cameras, there he could see the Tallest looking into his chamber from outside the window. 

He noticed the other caretakers, but went back to focus on the tallest, “were they there for him?” Zim wondered in his head, every smeet to the highest level invader knew of the tallest. If you were scouted or even given some attention by the tallest it would be seen as high praise and honor among irken culture. 

After accidentally messing with the computer system in the Smeetery as a few days old smeet, Zim short-circuited one of the machines for combat training and killed tallest Miyuki and Spork who were inspecting the smeets at the time. 

How was it Zim’s fault that the technology wouldn’t work the way he thought it would work at the time. That was Zim’s thoughts on the matter, he had been separated right away from his smeet companions and left in a room alone with a smeet drone to take care of him until the control brains would do something. 

When the control brains found out what had happened to tallest Miyuki and Spork, right away they had called up Zim for a quick trial. Zim never expected he would meet the control brains so soon, he thought what he had done wasn’t necessary for the control brain’s assistance on the matter. 

Once the control brains decided among themselves what would be done of Zim they announced themselves to Zim. They explained to Zim what they had obtained from all irkens and drones of the incident and why he was called up to them. 

Zim didn’t know the tallest were visiting let alone their deaths. His punishment was death and Zim would be marked throughout history as a defect for his actions and once presumed dead his pak would never be used again and henceforth destroyed. 

Zim begged for his life and that what he had done was an accident and never wished for this to happen, especially to the tallest. It was too late in the control brains minds, how could the smeet drones overlook such a useless smeet like Zim? 

When the control brain's plans didn’t work out, they left Zim alone once again in the company of a smeet drone. After the disaster of trying to kill Zim, all the control brains could do was rewrite his program to never be an invader and marked him as a defect for the rest of Zim’s life.

Zim for a while felt horrible for his actions and once he knew what he had done, he wanted to make up to the control brains. When Zim learned about the new tallest Red and Purple, right away Zim’s pak began to work overtime coming up with plans to be of use and redeem himself to prove how great of an irken and future invader he would be one day. 

When the tallest came to see Zim, right away Zim waited for a moment to sneak out his chamber and get on board to the Massive. 

Since Zim was considered the smallest in his group, he used this to his advantage and cut a hole in the pipes above and tried to use his small pak legs to climb up the wall. It was a little difficult since Zim was still in training and didn’t have the full know-how physically to use them.

Mentally all smeets are given all data knowledge that they need when they excel in their smeet training. If each smeet passes all tests to become elites and finally invaders each irken is given a pak upgrade with an extensive wealth of wisdom that all smeets and irkens wished to one day obtain. 

Once Zim was in the ventilation system, he moved along the pipes and used his pak to scan all the rooms until he found the exit. Zim watched closely at the exchange between tallest Red and one of the caretakers. Zim wasn’t sure what was being said, so he would wait until tallest Red was out of sight. 

Red was the first one to leave followed by the caretaker, the hanger door for the Massive was starting to close, Zim frantically unsheathes his pak legs and zoomed out from one of the pipes into the Massive before the doors closed in on him. 

Zim quickly looked over his surroundings and found many of the Massive’s army ships and other machines used for transportation. Zim started moving around to find a place to hide and get his bearings in order. 

Zim sneaked around a few ships and hid behind a few boxes, once he felt like it was safe he used his pak’s scanner to locate where the tallest were. When the scanner showed two dots on the screen, Zim looked up for the closest pipes or holes to crawl through to hide away so he wouldn’t have to alarm any irken of his presence. 

The room was too tall for Zim, so trying his best again, taking out his pak legs and changing them into small lasers. Zim motioned them up and tried to activate them with little success, he tried again only accidentally making a gigantic hole in the corner of the ceiling, Zim started to panic, but hurried up by changing his pak legs back to normal. When he got his pak legs normal again he quickly climbed up the wall and through the ceiling. Zim didn’t notice in his panicking state that another irken was watching in horror at what he was witnessing.

Zim had made his way as far up as the upper levels of the Massive, he was almost at where the tallest were, but without thinking one of the metal pieces that connected the pipe came loose. Zim abruptly fell headfirst into a random hallway. 

When he came to, he was surrounded by many irken elites and a few enforcers. Zim noticed that he had chains wrapped around him and cuffs on his claws. He tried to tare the cuffs off but the rest of the guards unsheathe their electric spears and directly pointed at Zim’s head to stop his protest. 

Zim ceased his struggle for the time being since he didn’t know what would happen if he resisted. In a few minutes, both tallest showed up to Zim’s location, “ **Why have you come here** !!!” Red roared at Zim. 

“ **We don’t want you here** !” A few elites and enforcers shouted from the back. 

“Red, like I like before, let’s throw Zim out the airlock.” 

“  **Yeah! Throw he out the airlock my tallest** !!!” The group chanted back at Purple’s idea. 

“ **Quite** !!!” Yelled Red to everyone, this spooked everyone. 

“Now…  **Zim explain** ...” Red spoke to Zim, Zim held his ground and stood up to speak to the tallest. 

“My tallest, Zim wishes to make amends and volunteer myself to receive a mission to prove to you my tallest that Zim is all-knowing, all-powerful, and ever loyal to the irken empire. So that when Zim is much older than Zim will be an irken invader.” 

Every irken except for tallest Red laugh their asses off. After about five minutes of constant laughter, with an irritated sigh, Red called for silence while he decides what would be the next course of action. 

“Let me get this straight Zim, you think a little mission is supposed to fix the deaths of our late tallest Miyuki and Spork?” Red questioned Zim with a tone that sounded a lot like Purple when he was at his wit's end. 

Purple after trying to calm down started to focus on Red’s conversation, “Zim you are small...Like in the head just like your size.” Purple said so nonchalantly that you swear that Zim wasn’t present in the hallway. 

“No, my tallest! I didn’t say that at all, Zim only wants to show that I am needed despite some minor setbacks. Zim is still a smeet my tallest, Zim will be taller and show all who stand in the way of Zim that I, Zim is the best irken invader that the empire has ever cloned!” 

Red wanted to claw out whatever tissue structure made it so he could hear Zim gone. Purple wanted Zim out of his and Red sites, “Zim, how about you stay in a room on the Massive while we find this perfect mission for you to prove that you could be properly trained and tested to be an irken elite?” Red suggested the idea, everyone and Purple’s mouths dropped at the words that came out of Red’s mouth.

“You mean it my tallest, yes I can’t wait for the mission, gimme!!!” Zim exploded in excitement even with all the heavyweight of the chains and cuffs on him. 

“Red you can’t be….” Red shoved one of his claws on Purple’s mouth to shut him up, Red moved closer to Purple, “Listen, we don’t want Zim running around irk! Who knows where or worst, mess with the control brains. Then we will have a death sentence with our names on it. I know what I’m doing, Pur.” Red whispered back. 

Purple only nodded, since he trusted Red’s judgments. Red let go of Purple’s mouth, “any one of you unlock and remove the chains, the cuffs remain though.” Red called to the enforcers and elites, some didn’t like where their tallest was going with the situation, but complied thanks to both tallest giving out commanding auras around them.

“Zim you will wait until you are called on by either Purple or myself. When the time has come to announce our decision on your mission, is that clear?! You are to remain in the room assigned to you at all times, a service drone will be sent to your room to give you the necessities such as food. If you so much as break any of these claims you will be sent to the planet Blorch home of the slaughtering rat people.” Red explained to Zim.

After calming down from the high, Zim’s antenna shot up when Zim stood at attention, “yes my tallest, without failure, Zim won’t let you down!” With a small salute, the enforcers and elites left to go back to resume their regular duties. 

Two guards were called up to take Zim back to his new chambers, while Red and Purple left to go into their private chambers to see what to do with their new unwanted stowaway.


	2. Found Solution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daily life in the Membrane household and Professor Membrane struggles to understand his son’s new hobby. After talking with a colleague he might have found an idea to solve his son’s new interest.

Sparks were flying through the air while Professor Membrane worked on his latest invention. It was early in the morning, sweat was falling off from his goggles. Membrane stopped what he was doing to check the time, it was seven in the morning. He remembered that it was almost time for his kids to go to school. 

The Professor was starting to get used to the new routine that he would be doing for the next eighteen years. That thought made him a bit sad but he loved the new challenges that his new experiments gave him. 

It had been eight years since the creation of his son and daughter. The science community was in awe and amazement at Membrane for his new discoveries in cloning. This helped him build the reputation he needed to gain his own laboratory, staff, and a better future for himself and now kids. 

Membrane’s personal goals for his kids were to live life comfortably, learn the love of science that he had since his youth, and for Dib at least to inherit his latest work when he would eventually pass on… 

“Note to myself, set time to study away to prolong human life…” Membrane said to himself and started working his way up from the basement to the second floor. 

Membrane went into Dib’s room first, Dib was still asleep, he had stayed up all night watching reruns of his favorite tv show, “ _ Mysterious Mysteries' '  _ until twelve in the morning. Dib only moved occasionally when he was breathing. 

Membrane moved closer to his son and with his left hand shook Dib’s shoulder to wake him up. Dib stirred around making grunting sounds for being made to wake up so soon. 

“Son it’s time for our usual morning of breakfast, then you need to get ready for school.” 

“Mmn…” Dib rolled over away from his father’s hand and covered himself under the covers to let his dad know he didn’t want to get out of the bed. 

Membrane grabs the covers and pulls them off Dib, “son now isn’t the time for such things, besides I need to get your sister up.” 

Dib curls up into a ball to keep what little warmth he had left, “don’t wanna!” 

“Son! Don’t force me to take away your weird dolls again!”

Dib shots up facing his dad, “they are not dolls, those are action figures from my favorite show, Mysterious Mysteries!” Dib explained to his dad, he wasn’t in the mood to fight with his dad on something so simple. 

“Whatever son, now that you are awake can you get dressed and ready for breakfast, please?” Membrane pleaded with his son. 

Dib reluctantly got up and made his way into the hall to go to the bathroom. 

“Thank you, son!” Membrane shouted to Dib while still in his room. 

Membrane then moved in the direction of Gaz’s room. Knocking first and waiting for Gaz’s reply, no sound to be found. “Sweetie, Dad would like you to get up from bed if you haven’t already done so…” 

All Membrane could hear now was random noises, “hun I’m coming in, let me know if you need privacy…” Membrane stopped mid-sentence to find his daughter playing in the corner with her new game system. 

Gaz’s eyes were saggy but remained locked tight on the screen in front of her. She only paused briefly at her dad’s last sentence.

“Gaz what did I tell you about staying up playing, huh?! Do I have to take it away!?” Membrane wasn’t having it today, this was the third time this week that Gaz didn’t sleep because of playing a “quick” round of her game. 

“ **No** ... **Dad** …” Gaz said with a grumpy tone in her voice. She had been playing since eleven at night and didn’t get much sleep, she didn’t have much patience with anyone. Her Dad was the exception. 

“Thank you, now would get ready for school while I get Foodio ready to make us breakfast, okay?” Membrane explains to Gaz. 

“Mmnn…” Gaz grumbled while gathering her clothes she would need to get ready. 

Membrane walked out of Gaz’s room and headed downstairs to decide what food would be best for Foodio to make. 

Dib was in the bathroom brushing his teeth when he heard his sister bang on the door loudly.

“Brother, bath now!” Gaz yelled out from the hallway. 

“Let me finish brushing my teeth Gaz!” Dib spoke out with toothpaste almost falling out from his mouth while trying to talk to his little sister. 

Gaz wasn’t patient with Dib, to Gaz her brother was weird since she was five. When Dib started watching that show about make-believe monsters and seeing if those creatures were real or not didn’t sit well with Gaz. It didn’t help that their dad started to yell all the time now thanks to Dib, she never saw her dad yell like that until Dib started getting into “paranormal” as Dib called it. 

Gaz hated that her brother always made her dad mad, she thought that maybe the reason why her dad was always angry at her brother was that the show was bad. That’s what she believed and for a while tried to show Dib other things to play with to get her more cheerful dad back. 

She only started to dislike her brother when he wouldn’t get what she was doing, so she started to avoid her brother when Dib would talk about his new hobby. 

Gaz was brought back to reality when she could hear running water, “Gaz the water is warm now you can take your bath now!” Dib yelled from behind the bathroom door. 

Gaz checked if the bathroom door was open, she turned the doorknob and found the door open to see her brother turning off the shower faucet. “Gaz you can go in, let me know if you need help with anything?” 

She loved this side of her brother, the one who would take care of her when their dad wouldn’t. She never understood why their dad decided to stop helping them, she blamed it again on her brother’s new hobby. 

Dib brushed up against Gaz while trying to get out of her way, “sorry Gaz but you are in the way.”

“Whatever…” Was all that Gaz said before closing the door behind her. 

Dib while waiting for his turn to take a shower went back to his room to play with his computer that his dad bought him for his birthday last year. 

His father showed him how the computer could be used to gather data and information with a question and a click of a button. His father wanted Dib to be as smart and capable as he was at Dib’s age. Thanks to advancements in technology the process would go much faster, Membrane thought. 

Dib mainly used it to find out more about the paranormal investigations that would be on the Mysterious Mysteries show.

Once Dib realized that there were dozens upon dozens of different creatures, theories, and information than he could comprehend then just what was on his favorite show, Dib spent most of his time dedicated to learning more and finding other potential life forms besides humans.

Dib thought what he was doing was like his dad’s work, science. His father always dwelled into the topic regularly even more so now thanks to his new hobby of the supernatural. He never understood why his father couldn’t see that what he was doing was the same. 

He used what his father had taught him, find a subject that hasn’t been fully observed, come up with a question, create a theory after finding and learning all past and current information and test it. He wasn’t allowed to touch his father’s equipment, so to cure his carving Dib would be glued on the computer and his show until his father would let him do things on his own. 

While looking on a website with the current sightings of Bigfoot Dib could hear his sister leaving the bathroom and shutting her door to her room. Dib quickly looked at the time on his computer, it was almost eight o’clock. Dib turned off his computer and moved to the closet closest to Gaz’s room. 

Dib took out the hairdryer and knocked on Gaz’s door, “Gaz I have the hairdryer let me know when I can come in! I need to get ready too!” Dib announced to Gaz from the hallway. 

Gaz opened the door and let Dib plug in the hairdryer. “Thanks, brother…”

Dib plugged in the dryer and found a chair in the room and scooted it closer so that Gaz could sit down while Dib would dry her hair. Gaz motioned to the chair and sat down letting her small bundle of hair fall from the cloth that had kept it in place. 

Once Dib was done with Gaz’s hair he rushed to the closet, put away the hairdryer and moved to the bathroom to get ready for breakfast with his dad. 

Membrane had just set up Foodio to make scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast for breakfast. He put in an order for chocolate milk for Gaz, plain milk for Dib and coffee for himself. 

“Kids come down now! Foodio is almost done with our food!” Membrane called the two down from the kitchen. 

Gaz was the first one to make it down the stairs, she took her place in the middle of the table. 

“ _ Foodio has made human girl breakfast  _ **_with love_ ** _ here you go _ !” Foodio says while slamming the plate in front of Gaz. 

Some of the bacon falls and Gaz catches it with her fork. “Thank you Foodio” she says to the machine and starts digging in. 

“Gaz, sorry to interrupt your eating but do you know when Dib will be joining us?” Membrane asks Gaz while drinking his freshly brewed coffee. 

“Brother was in the shower when I was coming down the stairs, so maybe five minutes..?” Gaz remembered and went back to attack her eggs. 

“Thank you, sweetie, and when you are done get ready for the bus.” Membrane explains to his little girl. 

Dib had just finished getting dressed and quickly ran down the stairs to have some time to eat before the bus could show up. 

Dib sat across from his dad and Foodio presented his breakfast, “ _ breakfast is really for human boy  _ **_please enjoy_ ** !” Foodio did the same thing as Gaz’s breakfast. Dib wasn’t as fast as Gaz and the bacon fell onto his napkin. 

“Thank you I guess…” Dib said to Foodio and used his fork to move his bacon from the napkin to his plate. 

“Son, you were late for breakfast, we need to eat as a family, you could have missed an important meal and you need to be ready for school…” Membrane was trying to explain to his son.

Did interrupt his father’s complaints, “I had to dry off Gaz’s hair and I don’t really care about school dad…”

“Son, how can you say that! You need to get an education otherwise you will end up on the street like so many people who waste their potential. There is also the problem with your new hobby son…” 

“I don’t like school because it is too easy dad! And the other kids are all stupid! What’s wrong with the paranormal dad? I am doing science just like you!” Dib yelled back at his father. 

“Son this paranormal or whatever it's called isn’t scientific. You can’t prove anything in that field, I let you watch that show because you seemed to be amused by it, I didn’t think you would want to be like those people…” 

Dib was starting to get frustrated by his dad’s misunderstanding of the show and his new interest. 

Gaz had finished her breakfast first and ran into the living room. “Brother the bus is here!” Gaz announces from the living room. 

Dib chugs his milk and runs from the kitchen to grab his book bag and head out with Gaz to the bus. 

“Son, think about what I had said and watch after your sister!” Membrane hollers out to Dib before Dib could close the door. 

Membrane gets ready himself for work, he grabs his suitcase and heads out to his car. Membrane while driving thinks to himself what he could do to help his son and what he did wrong. 

“If only I could show Dib what he can’t see…” Membrane tells himself. 

Membrane stops his thinking when he sees the white building he calls his laboratory. 

The building consists of a total of twenty-five stories ranging from fields of energy to food science. 

The professor’s current experiments were to find the source for world peace. He wanted a world where his children wouldn’t have to deal with the current stresses of the world. All his new goals were for Dib to continue all the future experiments that he or his son would make… 

Membrane was flooded by paparazzi asking him the lastest news and process on his next experiment. Luckily his bodyguards and personal secretary were there in time to help him through the parking lot into the laboratory. 

“Professor, how are you doing sir?” Asked one of his assistants who was waiting for the Professor to go over his schedule for the coming week. 

“I’m doing fine, Mr. Lani, what's on the agenda for today?” Membrane asked as he and Mr. Lani walked along to his workspace on the twenty-fifth floor. 

Throughout the rest of the day, Membrane worked helping solve minor problems that each scientist had with their own experiments, attending business meetings and talking with local new stations about whatever expert advice he would have on a particular topic that would need to be explained to the general public. 

Before heading back home, the Professor asked for some advice from Lani, “ Keo I wish to have your opinion on something..?” 

Assistant Lani was busy cleaning up the Professor’s desk while listening to him, “how can I help, Professor Membrane?” Lani was surprised that his boss would want his opinion on a particular subject since to him the Professor knew everything.

“I was wondering if you have kids first,?” 

“Yes, I have four children Professor, what would you like to know about them?”

“Oh no, I wanted to ask because I thought you might be able to help me with a problem I have with my son, Dib…” Membrane explained to Lani. 

“Whatever is the matter with your son, sir?” 

“My son has been getting into a hobby which I know isn’t good for him. He argues with me now thanks to it, I don’t understand why he won’t listen to me? Dib can’t see the long term effects of staying in that field…” Membrane rambles to Mr. Lani.

“Sir, does your son wish to pursue this hobby as a career in the future? Also, if I may ask, does your son have any friends?..” 

“Yes and now that you mention it… I have never seen Dib hang out with anyone, and based on his reaction this morning…” Membrane stopped his train of thought, “That’s it!” He shouted to himself

“What is sir!?” Mr. Lani spoke out shocked by his boss’s revelation. 

“My son needs a friend or friends I didn’t think about that. Thank you so much, Keo, I really needed another parent’s advice on the matter!” Membrane pats Mr. Lani on the shoulder and quickly heads out to his car. 

“No problem sir, glad to help…” Mr. Lani spoke out before Membrane closed the door to his office. 

Membrane arrived at his house around six. His kids were with Foodio having their choice of dinner. 

“Kids I’m home!” Membrane calls out to his kids. 

“Hey, dad!” Gaz shouts back and then goes back to having her slice of pizza. 

Dib ignores his dad and continues to eat his cheese pizza. 

Instead of joining his kids for dinner he programs his floating projector to let Gaz and Dib know he will be working in the laboratory for the rest of the night. 

When Membrane enters his lab, he moves in the direction of his computer and starts typing. He was thinking of setting up a web page to interview potential parents in the neighborhood to see if any of their kids would be friends with his son. He was sure this would be the fastest way for Dib to make friends. After a few interactions, he would then determine whether Dib’s new friend(s) would be a perfect influence on him. 

While working Membrane starts to remember when he was Dib’s age, he didn’t have any friends either but his love of science helped him through the years and helped him make friends in high shool and even now his constituents at his laboratory. 

Maybe if Dib had at least one friend it would help Dib get over his new obsession and maybe he would learn through his friend a new hobby that would profit better in a future where he knew his son would be respected and loved just like him…

Membrane stopped his thinking to see his work. He looked over his first draft and made some revisions, once all the content was done he set up the webpage and sent in the new post. Now all he had to do now was wait for someone to reply, he made sure to program the website to auto-delete any submissions that he thought would be considered spam. 

After working on this new task Membrane felt wonderful now because he was doing what many of the parental books had suggested to him years ago. To always think of your offspring and to do everything that you can for them whether they understood it or not. 


	3. High Stakes and Worries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tallest Red and Purple see the control brains about Zim being on the massive. Zim struggles with his new environment and invader Rein heads to the massive to see their tallest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been busy with my family thanks to what's going on right now with the world. Also, I have been playing animal crossing new horizons so that delayed this work. Either way, I am back to writing this and the rest of my work.

In the private chambers of the two tallest, Red and Purple were in the living room sitting on the couch waiting for snacks and drinks while discussing what to do with the **defect** … **Zim** … 

“Red, that was a splendid strategy I must say… I thought for a minute you lost it but... You have an idea… Right..?” Purple asked while still concerned that Zim had to be their main priority now. 

“Of course Pur, I was thinking while Zim waits in his room if he does…” 

“What if he doesn’t!?” Purple interrupted Red’s statement. 

“We will worry about that later, right now Zim thinks we are going to create a mission for him, right!?” 

“Yes, Red that is what you told him…” Purple confirmed with Red.

“Well, I was thinking about our new recruit…” 

“You mean that invader Rein?” Purple guessed. 

“Yes Pur, what a better way to see what this invader is capable of…” 

“So you are leaving the fate of **Zim** on some invader!!!” Purpled shouted in protest. 

“Remember Pur, the control brains insisted that this invader… Rein… Is an exceptional irken. So, why should we take time out of our busy schedules to focus all our efforts on such a defect as Zim…” 

“That may be true Red, but this is Zim. **Zim**! We are talking about, which I may remind you, is the reason Tallest Miyuki and Spork are gone now!” Purpled explained loudly to Red.

“I am well aware of that fact Pur! You don’t need to remind me of that! Listen, all I am saying is if that invader doesn’t come up with a fake mission for that **defect** then you can…”

Purple chimed in, “throw them out the airlock!”

“If that is the only way then yes… We have to still wait and see how the control brains take this new development first.” Red reminded Purple. 

“Damn it! You are right Red, the control brains won’t like this. Do we have to tell them!?” Purple asked worryingly.

“You know as well as I do that if we don’t report this news to the control brains it will be us who will be killed. Is that what you want Pur?” Red questioned Purple’s concerns. 

“No Red! I don’t want that, I don’t think the empire could handle another new pair of tallest so soon…” Purple commented to Red.

“Couldn’t agree more Pur, besides, I think they already know… They always find a way to know most matters regarding the good of the empire... To be safe we must go first thing in the morning to report about…”

“ **Zimmmm** …” Purple finished Red’s sentence. “I understand Red, I just hope the control brains go along with your idea.” Purple explained. 

Just as their private meeting was coming to an end a service drone came in with all the food and drinks that they requested. The two decided to relax and enjoy their meal before having to approach the all-powerful control brains in the morning. 

In the very deep bottom floor of the massive, there was a room closed off by the rest of the irken masses. This was the new living quarters of the now defective Zim with cuffs still around his tiny claws. 

Zim was busy looking around at his new room away from the only place that was considered home, the Smeetery. 

The walls were painted in a rusty metal grey that looked like it had seen better days. There was only a small box-shaped container made for ikrens to take rest modes. A table and two chairs in the middle of the room for meals or meetings and an empty corner for whatever the current irken wanted to put into the room. There were no windows not even on the door. The room glowed in the dark thanks to Zim’s pak. 

Thanks to living in the dark after the accident, Zim hated the dark, so he decided to find a way to make a small light for his new room until the tallest could give him the mission he wanted. He needed to prove himself and all irkens how much value he was to the empire.

Zim was looking over any notes in his pak for making any type of light out of anything in the room. Zim’s pak went through different notes, documents, articles that were programmed into the little smeet. It would take some time before the pak could give Zim an answer. 

While waiting for the results of his question, Zim wondered about the mission that the tallest would give him. 

“Would the tallest send him to work among the rest of the irkens on the massive? The Smeetery?” Zim didn’t know what he could do since he was only a smeet. Zim was starting to worry that he might not get the chance that he so wanted... 

With Zim’s short attention span his worries had forgotten the moment he heard the sound of something opening his door. It was the service drone that the tallest had promised him. The machine passed Zim and placed the snacks and drink on the table. With its primary function completed the service drone left and locked Zim’s room behind it. 

Zim was so hungry that he didn’t think about escaping his room to talk to the tallest about his worry over his new mission. He quickly devoured all his food and drank up all the irken soda that was given to him. Fully satisfied, Zim felt tired after everything that had happened today. 

Irkens normally wouldn’t need to sleep except in cases of long weeks of never taking a break. Since Zim was a smeet it didn’t take long for Zim to reach that peak of tiredness. 

Zim scurried to the container and made himself at home. Zim activated his pak and set it to wake him up for the next morning. With a small yawn, Zim closed his eyes and let the pak do its job and let him sleep for the night. 

The next morning, Red and Purple went to go see the control brains. Once out from their chambers they had about a five-minute walk down the hallway. They were stopped along the way by many irkens wishing to pay respects to their tallest. 

“I swear Red, if another irken so much as breaths in our direction..!” Purple was complaining to Red.

“Patience Pur, I don’t like all these intrusions either so early in the morning, but we are literally…” Red stopped mid-conversation when he realized that they were in front of the door of the control brain's chamber. 

Purple looked in the direction that Red was looking, Purple took a deep breath to brace himself for whatever mess the control brains had in mind for both Red and himself. 

“Let's get this over with so we don’t have to see them for a while okay Pur..?” Red asked Purple in concern for listening to his companion’s deep breathing. 

“Sorry, I just don’t want to hear their monotone voices complaining about matters we could have avoided if they had just dumped Zim somewhere out of our galaxy to rot away,” Purple replied quietly to Red. 

“Absolutely Pur, I hate to question our loyalty to the control brains but I feel like there choices…”

“Don’t make a lick of sense..?” Purple finished Red’s thought. 

Both looked at each other and just put the thought out of their mind and walked to the door’s entrance. 

The door was a bright white with grey trimming. The doors automatically opened up once both tallest were scanned. Red was the first one to walk through the door followed by Purple. 

There was another set of doors a few feet part from where the two were standing. When Red and Purple were standing in front of the doors a machine liked voice called out to them. 

“ _State the purpose of requesting a meeting with the control brains?_ ” The voice asked Red and Purple. 

“This is Tallest Red and Purple wishing to alert the control brains of a new development that has occurred on the massive,” Red spoke out. 

“ _Verifying request… Request is granted… You will see the control brains… Tallest Red and Tallest Purple_.” The voice called back and slowly opened the last set of doors to reveal an open floor with a metallic center. 

Purple didn’t want to be the first to enter and waited for Red to go first. Red sensing Purple’s refusal to take the lead he made the first move. Red felt the same but wanted to comfort Purple since he knew what they were going to do was annoying and somewhat nerve-wracking. 

Red didn’t like the control brain's way of interrogation but he knew for a fact that they needed them just as much as the irken empire needed the control brains. It was a partnership that was critical to Red’s and the control brain’s way of coexistence and control over the empire. 

As Purple said, there was no way they would go out of their way to have a new tallest in such a short time. Red was willing to bet on Purple’s assumption and hoped that the control brains would take their news well… 

Red and Purple walked to the center of the room and the doors automatically closed behind them once they were in the room. The room was all white with only small lights illuminating the left and right side of the rooms. 

Red stepped on the metal piece in the center while Purple stood next to him to wait for the arrival of the control brains. 

The ceiling started to shake and stir around them, then from out of the ceiling came out four gray metallic balls. Once they were eye leveled with Red and Purple all four control brains activated with each having one singular eye. 

“Tallest Red and Tallest Purple, what is this development that you described in your request!” All four brains boomed out to Red and Purple. 

Red’s and Purple’s antenna both lowered at the sudden increase in volume coming from the control brains. After the control brains stopped Red was the first one to recover. 

“My masters, it has come to our attention that the defect smeet Zim has been found on the massive. He came on board to request our services to “make up” for the incident with the late Tallest Miyuki and Tallest Spork…” Red was explaining. 

“We came to you to see if you have come up with a way to rid us of Zim or if… You would let us take care of Zim personally..?” Purple finished Red’s sentence. 

The four brains didn’t respond right away, for they were processing the information that Red and Purple told them.

After about five minutes they began again, “we were aware of the defect’s presence but not of the exact location. We four are still testing out more scenarios to see the best results for Zim’s demise… What is this… idea... That Tallest Purple wishes to explain to us..?” The four asked in unison. 

Purple took a deep breath and hoped for the best, “Tallest Red and I talked the other day and thought, for now, the best course of action would be to deceive Zim into obtaining an official “mission” from us and this fake mission would lead to removing Zim from the irken empire for good, masters…” 

“We haven’t yet come up with a specific fake mission in mind yet, but I thought that since you personally requested irken invader Rein to work alongside us on the massive. This would be their first job as our new subordinate…” Red added to Purple’s thoughts. 

The control brains deactivated momentarily to think about the tallest’s idea. The room was quiet now with only Red and Purple alone with their thoughts. 

Purple moved closer to Red and whispered into Red’s antenna, “do you think they will agree with your idea Red?” 

Red whispered back to Purple’s antenna, “we can only hope that just some of our privileges are removed and not our lives…” 

Their conversation was interrupted with a loud thud and activation of the four control brains looking directly at them. 

“We have thought about your idea… We would like to see where your idea will go… We will accept your request… For now… If the new invader doesn’t hold up their end of the deal… We will take charge of the **defect’s punishment** … For now, go about your business as usual… We will be checking in on your progress and ask for updates on said future progress” The control brains explained to Red and Purple. 

“As you wish” Red said and bowed to the four. Purple did the same and bowed to show respect to his masters.

The four control brains then deactivated and went back into the ceiling to another part of the massive until they felt the need to appear again. 

Red and Purple both sighed in relief and went out of the chamber to talk among themselves while they started preparing for when the new invader would show up. 

On a nearby planet far away from Foodcourtia and the massive was a tall irken, Rein. Rein was filling up their voot cruiser from traveling from the far off planet Yaonope from sector 50. 

The planet formerly known as “Aiwei” now named “LardSmear” as a hub planet for many species that needed to travel to other distant planets in order to get to Foodcourtia or other planets beyond would stop here. 

Rein had rented a small room at a nearby building to take one last rest mode before the big day in the late afternoon. 

Rein was an average size tall irken invader, they were roughly 5’7 in human measurements. They were also considered a defect by some of the other taller irkens due to their unique eye color and antenna. Rein had brown eyes and the color patches on their pak were also brown, their antenna had bits of small hair follicles coming out from each antenna.

All these characteristics made Rein’s life harder, it was only thanks to Tallest Miyuki that Rein had lived for so long. Miyuki saw how tall Rein was as a smeet and despite all the other features that Rein presented she let Rein live. Only with the condition that Rein devolve their entire life to making it as an invader and living for their tallest. 

Rein worked hard passing each test to become an elite irken soldier then invader. When Tallest Miyuki and Spork declared which planet that Rein would invade, Rein felt pride that they did live up to Tallest Miyuki’s wishes. 

It had been about five months into Rein’s mission when they had got the announcement that Tallest Miyuki and Spork had died in an explosion thanks to a smeet named Zim.

Rein surprisingly didn’t feel any sorrow for the death of their tallest. That was another thing that made Rein feel different from the rest of the irken race. Loyalty was a valued trait among those who worked closely to the tallest or as invaders, elite soldiers, and any other military positions a irken may pursue. Rein was both, but even as a smeet Rein didn’t like nor trust Tallest Miyuki or Tallest Spork. 

Rein felt cold and afraid when meeting Tallest Miyuki the first time, they knew that if they had done or said anything their life would have ended there… 

The only thing that Rein felt was a small bit of gratitude to Tallest Miyuki for letting them make it this far in their forced career. Rein loved some things as an invader, but mostly the job made Rein over time felt sick and guilty for actually caring just a little about the species that were eradicated for the planet’s natural resources. 

The only thing that made Rein happy now was that for now, they would no longer be an invader but an assistant to the new Tallest Red and Purple. They were nervous since from their pak memory the control brains purposefully instructed them to work for them thanks to Rein’s quick takeover of the planet Yaonope. 

Rein had only seen Tallest Red and Purple once, it was their congratulation speech via video transmission. Both Red and Purple said their thanks and praises for such a quick invasion and told Rein the news about Rein’s reinstatement to being a personal irken assistant for the almighty tallest. 

The only thing that Rein remembered about the tallest was that from other irken accounts Tallest Purple was the more violent of the two. Tallest Red was the more reasonable one and the one that many irkens praised as smart, understanding to a point, and by irken females the most attractive one of the two. Rein didn’t understand their fellow irken at times. 

Rein looked over their pak for memories of Tallest Red’s appearance. Rein wanted to see for themselves if Tallest Red was indeed as good looking as all irkens say. Their pak gave them many images from different articles, public documents, and military propaganda. All images of Tallest Red from his elite days to now Tallest were organized in ascending order. 

Rein sped up the process by having everything on Tallest Red saved and remembered to their pak memories thanks to an invader upgrade to their pak. This upgrade lets invaders learn and adapt much faster than their non-military counterparts. 

Rein was flooded in their mind of all knowledge of Tallest Red. How he and Tallest Purple both exceeded together in their military smeet training, passing all tests in their elite days and both conquering their respective planets in less than four months. 

Rein was amazed briefly at all the different accomplishments that Red had earned. They had reminded themselves to not get invested in their new tallest, not to be too loyal. Not for fear of losing the current tallest, but for their own protection. 

Since Rein was considered a defect even with their invader status their mistreatment would be increased ten fold now working directly under the leadership of the two tallest. 

Rein decided not to think any harder on the subject and activated their pak for rest mode for three hours. They would arrive on time before the next irken time cycle. 

With Everything in place Rein began to feel sleepy thanks to their pak and dozed off to help them relax for the new mission ahead of them. 

Tallest Red and Purple were in the control room reading lists of documents that had to be signed, new events that had to be scheduled and looking over all foreign goods and alien slave transports that were being lead onto the massive. 

“Commander, when does invader Rein arrive?” Red asked while still focusing on his work at the head irken among the smaller irkens. 

The commander went through his pak to obtain the information that Tallest Red had requested. In about five seconds the Commander responded. 

“It would seem my Tallest that invader Rein is due to arrive five hours from now. Their location…” 

Red interrupted the commander’s sentence, “that will be all commander, all I asked was how long nothing else…”

The commander silenced himself and bowed down to their tallest. “Forgive my Tallest.” 

“You are forgiven now go back to your post,” Red said in an authoritative tone. 

The commander did as he was told and went about his business. 

Purple sitting next to Red, “you’re too soft on them Red, they’re just smallers anyway.” Purple said nonchalantly. 

“I can’t afford to get new staff every time you decide to throw some irken out the airlock Purple!” Red told Purple off. 

“There are millions of smallers Red, what would one really matter..?” Purple said teasing Red at his statement. 

Red just gave Purple a hard stare and went back to his work. Purple made small laughs at Red’s facial expression and went back to ordering slushies and his work. 

Two hours later, an irken guard ran into the control room requesting the tallest’s presence. 

“My Tallest forgive my intrusion I would like to talk to you about the… **Defect** … **Zim** …” 

Both stopped what they were working on and looked directly at the irken. 

“Has Zim left his room!?” Purple shouted at the smaller irken. 

“No My Tallest! He has asked whether or not you have come up with his mission…” The irken wanted to hide for fear of having to take the brunt of the defect’s actions. 

“Excuse me..?” Purple said with a hint of disgust. 

The irken got on his hands and knees and bowed apologizing for having to give out such news. 

“Calm down Purple, and you, stop groveling irken!” Red snapped at the two. 

The irken stopped and kept his head down in shame. Purple waited for Red to continue, he had a feeling that Red would explain how stupid the irken was being. 

“Good… Now irken get off the floor and explain to that stupid Zim that there isn’t any new news on his mission and that if Zim wants to please Purple and me so bad he should keep to his room like our agreement until we decide to call on to him. **Is that clear!?** ” Red said with anger in his tone. 

The irken got up quickly, “Yes! Of course my Tallest, it will be done!” With their instructions set the irken guard quickly removed themselves from the control room and went to work. 

Red fell back into his chair trying to calm himself down from such an interruption. Purple looked over Red with glee, “Wow Red! I haven’t seen you this angry since I…”

Purple’s thoughts were cut short by Red closing his mouth with his left claw. “Pur, as much as I love when you relish things… Now is not the time for it!” Red whispered annoyingly to Purple. 

Purple moved away from Red’s claw, “fine fine, whatever it’s just nice to see that you haven’t lost your edge is all...” Purple said smoothly. 

Red didn’t want to feel embarrassed so he thought of a comeback. “As if Purple! I am just far better than you when it comes to my patience.” Red countered Purple’s declaration. 

“Shut up Red, I have patience!” Purple yelled back to Red.

“I can clearly hear that…” Red said while massaging his antenna from Purple’s yelling. 

Many of the navigators were much afraid of Tallest Purple’s wrath and did their best to focus on their work. The last time someone disrupted the tallest’s antics Purple threw them out the airlock and many others were sent to be used as slaves by other taller irkens.

The irken guard who was in charge of Zim raced back to their post. They knocked on the door of the defect’s room and waited in worry and a bit of frustration. They had to bow in shame and were called out by their tallest. 

There was no response, they knocked on the door again, “Defect it is I who is in charge of you. The tallest has responded to your absurd request!” The irken yelled in front of Zim’s room. 

* * *

Zim after waking up first thing in the morning wanted food but didn’t know how to signal an irken for food let alone a service drone in the small room. He tried knocking continuously to see if any irken was there. At first there was no answer, only the occasional noise from up the different levels of irkens working to keep the massive working and the tallest happy. 

Zim was still hungry and now bored, two things that didn’t work well for Zim. Zim decided to go back to work on the light that he would need during the night. His pak had completed a list of small lights that he could make out of the table or the box used for his rest mode. 

Zim opted to use the table to make the light, before he could get to work someone was starting to open the door. Zim watched carefully, he hoped it was the food that he was promised. It was the service drone from yesterday and now another irken that could only be seen from outside the door. 

Zim quickly raced past the service drone to see who the irken was. The irken stepped forward to prevent Zim from escaping the room. 

“Don’t think of escaping defect! If you so much as put one foot outside from this room, I will personally have you murdered in front of the tallest and the irken empire.” Spoke out the guard. 

Zim stopped in front of the guard, “Zim doesn’t want to escape! Why didn’t you answer Zim when I was knocking on the door?” Zim questioned the guard. 

The guard looked at Zim like he was off his rocks, “I heard no such noise. Your room is soundproof from the inside. If you wish to make a request you will wait patiently during meal time, like now. Is that clear **defect**!?” The guard wasn’t in the mood for any stupid shenanigans that Zim might do so early in the morning. 

Zim took in what the guard said, “The name is Zim, **Zim** ! **Not defect**! Zim has heard you loud and clear… My next question to you… Irken... Is whether or not you know if the tallest has given Zim his mission?”

The service drone bummed into Zim while he was talking with the guard. It had placed all necessary food and drinks that it was programmed to give to Zim. The drone wanted to leave but Zim was in the way. 

“Not right now drone!” Zim yelled at the machine, “can’t you see Zim is talking to…” Before Zim could finish explaining to the service drone the guard pushed Zim out of the service drone’s way and Zim slammed into the wall. 

Zim looked distraught and looked back at the guard, “Hey! What the hell was that for!? Can’t you see that Zim was trying to…” 

“Enough of your “explaining” **Defect**! I am tired of listening to your ramblings so early in the morning. And to get you to shut up, no I haven’t heard any orders directly from the tallest. If the tallest wanted you, defect they would have ordered you to the control room by now. Now that your question is answered, I will be closing the door…” 

Zim dashed ahead before the guard could close the door, “wait! Zim needs to know if the tallest remember their agreement? As well as giving Zim his mission!?” Zim pleaded with the guard. 

The guard was angry now, He grabbed Zim by the collar of his uniform and threw him into the cylinder-shaped box. 

“If I go and request an audience with the tallest about your stupid request, will that calm you down!?” 

The guard thought themself a generous irken because the reality was that no one should be helping the defect at all. It was against the rules, but right now the guard just wanted Zim to shut up for the rest of the day. They were assigned to watch Zim until the tallest would call upon Zim.

Zim sluggishly moved his head to respond, “yes for the love of Irk! Zim only wants to please his tallest and make amends!” Zim cried out in pain. 

With that sorted out the guard closed the door and went to see the tallest. 

* * *

While waiting for the guard to return with his answer, Zim waited a bit for his pak to recover from the guard's brute force in throwing him into his box. The box fell down with Zim causing him to get a few bruises and scars on his back and shoulders. 

After about ten minutes the pak fully healed Zim’s wounds. Zim slowly got up and made his way to the table to get his breakfast. The rest of the day was spent working on his new makeshift light.

After about an hour Zim’s light was complete. It looked like the old fashioned candle only instead of wax to make fire, Zim took parts that he obtained from the Smeetery and used it to make a small electric bulb that was housed in the middle. The light’s brightness couldn’t be changed but it didn’t matter to Zim. He was just happy that now he wouldn’t be sitting in the dark for most of the day. 

Zim’s euphoria was interrupted by a few bangs on the door. Without thinking Zim motioned to his box and hid. Zim waited to see if he would hear the knocking again or if his mind had lost it. Once again there was knocking and now he could hear the guard yelling from behind the door. 

Zim moved quickly and did his best to signal to the guard that he heard him. 

The guard forgetting that the room was soundproof from inside Zim’s room, they forcefully opened the door. Once the door opened the guard could see Zim a bit frightened but ready to hear the news from the tallest. 

The guard closed the door behind him, “The tallest said, there isn’t any new news on your mission and if you want to please Tallest Purple and Tallest Red so bad you should keep to your agreement of waiting in this room until they decide to call on you. **Is that clear!?** ” The guard said in a forceful manner. 

Zim was taken aback by the sudden outburst but with his head and antenna falling down he accepted that it would take awhile for them to find the perfect mission for him. 

“I have done my part now so you will not be bothering me until I decide to speak with you, good day!” The guard said to Zim and closed the door loudly behind him. 

Zim was left alone finally, he didn’t think it would take this long. Well… Maybe a little thanks to his pak, but he hated being kept waiting for whatever mission would come. Zim wasn’t so worried about the mission itself but his personal demons, his thoughts, or boredom…

It was the fourth hour and Rein had just paid the manager of the building for using the room for a few hours. Rein readied their voot cruiser in the direction of Foodcourtia on their way to the massive. 

The drive only took thirty minutes and Rein had enough time to check-in before their meeting with the tallest. 

Rein was greeted by another tall irken, “hello…” The irken said, but was surprised to see another defect on board the massive let alone one who had the invader uniform on them. 

Rein sensing the irken’s confusion introduced themselves, “hello sir, I am invader Rein and was personally asked by the control brains to serve under Tallest Red and Purple. 

The irken upon hearing Rein’s name repositioned himself and got to business. “Hello invader Rein, we have been expecting you for some time… I am Tehr head of foreign affairs, goods, and such. I was tasked to check you in quickly so we can begin your work with our tallest. 

Rein was glad that so far things were going well, they just hoped that the tallest would take to them fast like Tehr after introducing themselves. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to those who have read this work and comments are appreciated. I would like to see what people like about this story.


	4. Another Day, More Problems

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dib struggles to understand his father’s lack of understanding him and while thinking of a solution; a misunderstanding happens, a class bully picks on him, and to make matters worse his teacher deals the final blow to Dib’s emotions and leaves Dib really hurt.

Dib woke up rather early in the morning, it was seven o’clock. He couldn’t sleep, thinking too much about the fight he had with his dad the other day. He wished his dad would listen to him like he used to before… His love of the paranormal… Got in the way… Of his  **dad’s** …  **Love** … 

Dib didn’t want to think about it too much, it was starting to create new negative emotions within him. Feelings of self-doubt, inferiority, and shame. Dib felt like he wasn’t good enough for his dad’s world. 

Dib balled his fists together tightly while hunching over in his bed. He quickly tried to brush off those thoughts to find a way to prove his dad wrong and that other forms of life were out there, but he didn’t know where to start. He wanted to roam all over the city to see if there would be any creatures close by that he could study, but his dad restricted him to only looking after Gaz and not leaving the house until both were old enough to be left alone more than they normally were.

Dib didn’t want to see his dad so he got himself ready for school. He hated school but to Dib, it was a small form of escape from the loneliness that festered in his mind every now and then thanks to his dad’s confusion and misunderstanding of himself. 

Dib got up from his bed, grabbed his glasses, and made his way to the showers getting himself ready so he would have enough time to wake Gaz up for breakfast. 

Gaz for a change went to bed early for once, if one could call it early. It was hard at first, she would rock herself back and forth in bed for thirty minutes. The temptation to play her games was strong, but her determination to fulfill her promise to her dad was stronger. 

She clung onto her covers forcing herself to not move out of her bed and play the next level in her game. Gaz forced herself to not look at her game system to help her take her mind off the game. She tried thinking about other things, like how she would get her dad and her brother to stop fighting. Just remembering what happened that morning made her blood boil, her frustration made her tired, she exhaled out her concerns and didn’t want to think about it anymore. 

She changed topics to thinking about what she wanted to do with her life. Her teacher Ms. Faith assigned the class to write about what they would like to be once they grow up. Gaz only cared about her games, her dad, and even her brother, so she would look upon the school computer jobs that would let her play games. It was around twelve when she finally tired herself out for the night and was able to get more sleep than the last few days combined. 

A few hours later her body shifted for a while, she was half asleep in bed until she could hear the sound of running water from the bathroom. Gaz was upset that she was woken up so early, she wanted to sleep more. She groaned out loud and rolled over with the covers covering up the rest of her body to sleep again until her dad would wake her up for school. 

About ten minutes later Dib came out of the shower dressed with a black t-shirt with a green alien printed in the middle with black denim jeans to match. His socks were white with small cat heads of various colors all over them. Dib didn’t care about his socks since he knew most people wouldn’t be able to see them under his black and white running shoes. 

Dib quickly and reluctantly moved along the hallway to Gaz’s room. When Dib came in contact with the purple door he quickly knocked on the door waiting to see if Gaz would react to the sound. He heard nothing, so Dib knocked again and again until he heard the footsteps charging close to the door. Dib instinctually moved back away quickly from the door before it slammed into the wall. He looked up to find his sister fuming with her eyes appearing bright red to Dib. 

“Why are you waking me up now, Dib!” Gaz yelled out to her brother. 

It was bad enough that she had little sleep but now her brother woke her up and not her dad. Gaz wanted to sleep until it was time to rush to school like it was always done. 

“Because Gaz if you wake up now and get ready you will have enough time to  **play with your games** …” Dib said with a smug attitude. He didn’t want to physically fight with his sister and thought playing into her obsessions would slow down his chances of getting smacked. 

Gaz was about to hit Dib with one of her plastic swords from her room when she thought about what her brother had said, she had kept up her end of the promise and it was morning. Gaz grumbled to herself and quickly slammed her door behind her. 

Dib didn’t bother to wait to see if his idea worked and moved quietly down the hallway in case his dad was in his bedroom. Dib tipped toed along the rest of the hallway until he arrived at the stairs. 

He made his way down the stairs into the kitchen where Dib could see Foodio shut down in the corner. Dib had watched his dad enough times to know what each button meant and how to get just about any food that he would want. He pressed a button on the top left side of the robot. The robot booted up with small cranking noises coming from inside the machine. 

“Foodio is here to serve…” Foodio proclaimed and stopped mid-sentence to scan Dib’s body. 

“Dib Membrane! What would you like!?” The robot excitedly asked Dib. 

Dib thought about what his sister would like first, “chocolate chip pancakes with orange juice and for me... “ Dib didn’t know what he would like; he wasn’t particularly in the mood for anything at the moment. 

Dib quickly remembered that Foodio had premade options for each type of meal, so he decided to see what his dad had Foodio remember. 

“Foodio what is good for breakfast?” Dib asked Foodio. 

Foodio’s eyes lit up and started going through its database to give Dib the best options under the title “breakfast.” 

After a few seconds, Foodio’s eyes went back to normal and responded to Dib’s question, “there is bacon with scrambled eggs, waffles, pancakes, crepes, corn beef and hash, breakfast sandwiches, breakfast tacos, oatmeal, french toast, eggs with sausage, donuts, and cereal.” 

Dib listened and thought about the choices presented to him, “Foodio make me some strawberry waffles with milk.” 

“Foodio will make chocolate chip pancakes with orange juice and strawberry waffles with milk. Is that correct, Dib Membrane?” Foodio asked Dib to confirm his order. 

“Yes that’s right Foodio,” Dib explained to the robot and moved from the kitchen to the living room to watch some tv to take his mind off his emotions and school. 

Gaz had come out of her room and made her way into the shower to get ready so she could play her games. She hated when her brother had a point for once but decided that she would focus more on the last level of her game that she was playing before coming back from school. 

A few minutes later Dib could hear the sound of running water coming from upstairs, he assumed Gaz finally got herself up to get ready. That was good news to him, he didn’t want to wait on his sister in case his dad would give him another lecture about things that he already knew and were wrong. 

It took Foodio about ten minutes for all the food to be done, “all food is ready, Dib Membrane!” Foodio called out to Dib from the kitchen. 

Dib turned off the tv and headed to his spot at the end of the table. He looked over at his food, the waffles had strawberry syrup drizzled over his waffles with two strawberries on the side. 

“What! No whipped cream?” Dib explained to the robot with a bit of snark in his voice. 

Foodio looked at Dib then at the waffles and started moving next to Dib, with a flick Foodio produced a hose from one of its compartments. 

Dib upon seeing the hose, started to regret his complaint, “Wait Foodio!” Dib tried to stop Foodio from completing his request. 

It was too late, the hose started up and a rush of whipped cream streaming down on Dib’s waffles and flying onto the table and Dib himself. 

“Waffles are perfect now, Dib membrane!?” Foodio asked with a bit of pride since it completed its task. 

“Sure… Whatever, thanks…” Dib said in the most deadpan voice he could muster. While talking to Foodio some of the whipped cream drips from his glasses onto the floor. 

“Hahahaha…” Gaz laughs from the living room watching the scene unfold before her. She had just finished getting ready and arrived downstairs when Foodio moved along to pour the whipped cream on Dib’s waffles. 

“You are most welcome, Dib Membrane,” with its request complete Foodio goes back into its corner and shuts down until it is needed again. 

Dib gets up from his chair and moves to get some paper towels and soap to clean up the mess before his dad could yell at him about it. 

“You had to ask for whipped cream…” Gaz says smugly and takes her place on the table. Her side of the table was unharmed and started playing with her game while attacking her pancakes.

“Whatever, and no thank you for breakfast?” Dib says to Gaz while cleaning himself up by the sink. 

“What did you cook this,” Gaz says without looking up from her game. 

Dib wanted to argue back but hated how right Gaz was. Instead, he chose to ignore her and go back to finish the clean up of the whipped cream on the table. 

“That’s what I thought,” Gaz says to a quiet Dib. She finishes off the last pancake and drinks up her orange juice. 

Dib had enough and started to snap back, “shut up Gaz! At least I got Foodio going so you wouldn’t have to wait for dad to get breakfast!” Dib yells at his sister. 

Gaz moved from her seat and took her eyes off from her game, “you forgot that it would be nice to eat with dad since he hardly pays attention to us now! I like talking with dad even if it’s just a little! So you shut your face brother!” Gaz retorts back to Dib. 

Gaz glares at her brother before moving to the couch and waits for the bus while resuming her gaming. 

Dib hated where the argument was going, why couldn’t Gaz see how too mean their dad was being to him and even her. Sure he would like to hangout with his dad but it was becoming clear that their dad liked science more than the two of them. 

Dib grew angry at Gaz but took it out on his now over creamed strawberry waffles. While eating he thought back again to long ago when his dad started to leave Gaz and him alone for days at a time. He would comfort his sister when they were really little, Gaz used to ask when their dad would come back from work. 

The memory of Gaz's eyes flickering in the dark of their living room with a hurt expression on her face made Dib grinned his teeth together in anger, he hated how much Gaz suffered along with him. He felt the same way, when their dad would play with them it was only for thirty minutes at most. It didn’t help that both fought for their dad’s attention. 

When Dib got into his new paranormal hobby his father lessened the play time and eventually restricted fun time to holidays or birthdays. As well as eating breakfast together before school… 

It wasn’t enough for Dib and now with his dad’s refusal to listen to him, it made it harder for Dib to figure out how to get his dad to pay attention to him and especially Gaz now. Dib wanted his old father back, the one who had shown him the love of knowledge and indulging them with the games, stories, and trips that they used to do when they were younger. 

Dib grew even more confused, why was it him that was being punished when he took everything that he had learned from his dad and applied it with his interest in the supernatural. 

Before sinking further into his pit of darkness Gaz interrupts Dib’s thoughts, “the bus is here,” she explains plainly and heads out ahead not waiting for her brother. 

Dib quickly chugs the last of his milk and grabs his book bag and heads out before the school bus leaves him. 

When Membrane woke up that morning he could hear his watch alarm go off. He normally would have woken up promptly before his old alarm would go off, but it was eight in the morning, he had been up late and his body wasn’t getting any younger. Before his kids, he would be working hours into the night and would be still up the next day like nothing happened. With the birth of his kids, his responsibilities had shifted and a lot more energy for a while went to his kids.

When Membrane realized the time he hurried to check to see if the kids were at least eating breakfast, he started with Dib’s room. When he opened the door he could see that Dib wasn’t there, he moved along then next to Gaz’s room, he knocked on the door. There was no response, he knocked once again, but like before there was no response. He opened up the door slowly just in case if he had found his daughter changing. He looked around and found no sign of his daughter, Membrane quickly ran down the stairs to see if the kids were in the kitchen. 

He called out to his kids, “Dib, Gazlene are you two here!?” 

Membrane walked into the kitchen and looked to find that there was a leftover mess that his kids left when leaving for the bus. He felt relieved that at least they had time to eat before going, he started cleaning up the table and made himself some coffee before heading to work. 

Membrane decided that he would check the website later after work, but for now, he would focus on his experiments and other priorities that he needed to complete in order to make time for the person who he felt that needed his help more than ever, his son Dib. 

Dib was thinking hard about what he could do in the short term to satisfy his curiosity while also solving his dad’s problem with him. While doing this one of his teachers was teaching a lesson on astronomy. His teacher, Mr. Lynch was discussing Issac Newton and how his advancement in the field helped scientists develop the reflecting telescope which explained the movement of the planets in space. 

Mr. Lynch could see that Dib wasn’t paying attention like many of his other students, he would have called out Dib but learned early on that calling out Dib was asking to be upstaged by the small boy. He hated that he had to teach an already smart child and couldn’t smack talk him back to listen to him, the boy was given special treatment since he was the son of the great and famous Professor Membrane. 

Mr. Lynch wondered what the point of school was for Dib if he already knew most of the material that he presented to the class. After finishing up the topic the bell rang which meant that it was lunch time for the kids. 

Mr. Lynch spent his free time eating and grading the student's homework from the other day. After putting all the work in alphabetical order he found that Dib’s work was missing. The man grew a small smile on his face, “finally” he said to himself something he could use to bring down the boy’s perfect streak and smug attitude. 

Dib grabbed his food and sat alone among the lunch tables, it wasn’t anything new to Dib. Most of his classmates hated Dib for being a know it all and thinking that he was better than everyone else. Usually, his sister would come and sit next to him during lunch but because of their argument this morning Gaz decided to sit next to one of her acquaintances, Skylar.

While enjoying what little taste his ham and cheese sandwich had to offer Dib could hear footsteps coming from behind him. Dib had a feeling of who the footsteps belong to, and sure enough, his suspicions were confirmed. 

It was Leo Garner and his buddies; Billy Read and Gene Martin, they were the popular kids, Leo being a part of the football team while his friends were into baseball and tennis. 

“What do you want now Leo?” Dib asked with annoyance in his tone. 

“Dipshit, why so testy?” Leo replied back nonchalantly to the small boy. 

“He’s so unfriendly Leo, talk about rude that’s why he doesn’t have friends.” Billy lamented Gene nodded in approval at Billy’s statement. 

“It’s because he thinks he’s better than the rest of us, isn’t that right, ah... Dipshit?” Leo spoke out to his friends and Dib. 

“Not in the mood for your trivial thinking today Leo. I know for a fact I am better than you and your ragtag simpletons.” Dib explains while taking a bite of his wet sandwich. 

Leo was ticked off now, he rushed and grabbed Dib by the collar of his shirt and moved Dib’s face so he would face him. “You think you’re better than me…  **Me!** Leo Garner the star for the Gifted Foxes. I get just as good grades as you do, but does our teacher care, no. They only talk about you and how your dad is always on tv and being famous. You don’t even try and get everything while the rest of us work really hard! Wow, you are full of yourself!” He yelled back at the short boy. 

Billy and Gene moved to stand beside Leo, “what do you mean simpletons!” 

“Yeah! Leo likes us unlike you, you don’t even know what it’s like to have friends or anyone to care about. You only think about yourself!” The two chanted at Dib.

Dib tried to get himself free by trying to kick Leo in the stomach. Thanks to his short legs they were too far away from Leo, he wanted to do something else but was thrown across the cafeteria and hit one of the tables filled with random students. Some of the food from their lunch spilled onto his face making Dib flinch and remove his glasses to wipe the food off. 

Right away the rest of the kids switch their attention from their food to seeing the fight that Leo started. Some of the kids fled to the other side of the cafeteria while the rest crowded around the four boys waiting to see what would happen next. 

Some teachers hearing the commotion quickly left to get the shool’s bodyguards to help de-escalate the new situation. Others were trying their best to stop some of the kids from forming more of an already crowded pack. 

When Dib finished cleaning himself off he found himself surrounded by the rest of the student body with Leo a few inches away from hitting him. Dib quickly tried to dodge Leo’s punches but some of the kids pushed Dib back making him knock into Leo. Before Leo could throw Dib off of him, he heard the crowd go silent. 

It was Gaz making her way to her brother, “girly why don’t you get lost while I take care of the trash.” Leo explains to the tiny girl and picks himself up from the floor.

Dib took the opportunity to distance himself from Leo to see what his sister was planning on doing. 

Billy and Gene rushed over to Leo, “Leo that’s Gaz! It’s Dib’s crazy sister!” The two whispered worrying for their friend’s safety. 

“Dib has a sister..!” Leo spoke out looking puzzled for a second, then looking at Gaz and back at Dib, “you two look nothing alike, Gaz was it, why don’t you tell your brother to keep to himself.” 

“He already does that doo doo head, you’re the one who needs to mind his own business!” Gaz yelled back at Leo, “Look I don’t like my brother most days but picking on him won’t help…” 

“Wow Gaz, you really know how to help me!” Dib yelled at his sister’s monologue. 

“Shut up brother! I wasn’t done yet! ...Dib may be a butthead but he does care about his family. And for that, I can’t let you hurt him…” Gaz explains to Leo and Dib.

Leo and his friends break out into laughter while Dib was surprised and a little touched by Gaz’s words. 

“You do care, wow… Thanks…”

“Don’t get the wrong idea, I am still upset about this morning, but if anyone picks on you it’s me and no one else. Especially when they don’t know anything about us.” Gaz cuts off her brother while searing down Leo and his friends. 

Leo is the first one to stop laughing when he sees a dark aura and harsh stare coming from Gaz. Billy and Gene stop quickly upon not hearing Leo continue to laugh and look in the same direction as Leo. Both get chills and shake terrifyingly, they move quickly behind Leo waiting to see if the rumors about Gaz were true. 

“Why are you two hiding? She’s tiny, what can she do?” Leo asks his friends while trying to stop them from gripping his clothes. 

“Leo, don’t you remember what happened to Clem..!” 

“Yeah! Clem Moss was his name, he left school a year ago.” Gene added to Billy’s concerns. 

“Who cares about some other kid that left, what’s that got to do with her,” Leo demands while keeping his attention on Gaz as she approaches them. 

“Apparently Clem was the reason for the school shut down last year, remember all the bugs…” The two felt their skin crawl at remembering the events of the past. 

“Wait, all the cockroaches and other bugs were all his doing!?” Leo was surprised by this old news, “Remind me to whoop him if I ever see him, he was the reason I had to replace all my favorite gear, my pop was pissed that day too... “ Leo grew more upset at the reminder of his dad. 

“Leo…” both quietly called out, but could tell that their friend was off for a second, they reframed from speaking more on the matter for fear of getting hit by Leo’s aggression. 

“Anyway, when Clem unleashed the bugs he tired to make sure that no one would know that he did it, but he found Gaz playing her games while he was setting up…”

“Get to the point, Billy!!!” Leo exploded at his friend. 

“Gaz sent Clem through the window because he broke one of her games and had to go to the hospital, that’s why he left,” Billy spoke out quickly while moving a few inches away from Leo. 

“Yeah, when his folks came to get his stuff, some of the kids said that he had a black eye and bandages around his face!” Gene finished Billy’s statement. 

Leo listened and took in quickly what the two had to say, “hahahaha, that’s a good one guys, I can’t believe that you guys think someone like Gaz could be the one that sent Clem to the hospital. Get real you two…”

Before Leo could react and speak another word Gaz punched Leo in the stomach forcing him to fly a few feet into the air and landing on some of the students who were still around them. Billy and Gene’s eyes bulge out in shock and horror while seeing Gaz move past them to focus more on Leo. 

Dib runs toward the two distracted boys and grabs both Billy and Gene’s heads and knocks both of their heads together with a hard smack. The two fall over both yelling out their pain while holding their heads. Dib moves past the two on the floor and watches as Gaz closes in on Leo. 

“You bitch!” Leo chokes out with some spit flying out from his mouth while gasping for air. Leo coughs trying to breathe normally while trying to force himself back up to fight and knock Gaz out to take care of Dib next. 

Gaz doesn’t give Leo a chance to counter and grabs one of Leo’s wrists. She twists it clockwise where his palm was facing upwards and bent his arm upwards causing Leo’s body to swing around in pain. Leo tries to break away from Gaz’s grip but in doing so causes more pain and a tighter hold from Gaz. 

“Let me go, shit!” Leo yells at Gaz while panicking and trying to flail around. 

Gaz twists Leo’s wrist more, tightening it further, causing some of the bones in his arms to crack.

“Aaah!” Leo starts yelling out with a few beads of sweat dripping from his face. His face was also turning red from struggling to break free from Gaz. 

The rest of the student body watches with horror, glee, and amazement with Gaz taking care of Leo like a weak twig ready to snap. Before she can deal with the final blow some kids start screaming and running away from the presence of body guards that finally made it to the cafeteria.

Just when the guards start rounding up most of the kids that were close by the bell for lunch time rings. This leads to kids rushing out and forming lines outside of the cafeteria before their teachers would show up, most were happy since recess would be next after lunch. 

Gaz kicks Leo in the back letting him fall into the rest of the kids still in front and moves along with the rest of the kids who were rushing out. She disappeared into the crowd and made her way to the other side of the cafeteria where her class would line up. 

Dib right away noticing the guards slowly moves back and tries to blend in and act like the rest of the kids who were just trying to get to their line for recess. 

Thirty minutes later the principal Ms. Moss shows up with all the teachers lined up together with their students. “I don’t know who or what caused such an outrage in this cafeteria but once I figure out who is responsible they will be expelled from school for at least a week!” She roars at the students. Some of the students' cough or shuffle around trying to avoid eye contact with the principal. 

“Faculty, we will be having a meeting later today to discuss this matter, please arrive after school on time.” Ms. Moss explains and clicks hard with her heels leaving the teachers back in charge and letting the kids go to recess. 

Mr. Lynch leads the kids outside, “okay you are free to have fun until the bell rings and line up back here as usual.” He explains to his class and dismisses them to play. 

Dib started to head out into the playground with the rest of his class when he hears his teacher, Mr. Lynch called his name. 

“Not so fast Dib Membrane, I need to have a word with you in the classroom, now!” Mr. Lynch yells from the door and waits to see if Dib would comply. 

Dib had a feeling that he was somehow in trouble, he reluctantly turned around and headed back to Mr. Lynch. 

Seeing Dib come to the door Mr. Lynch motions Dib to go back into the shool first. Dib notices the gesture and goes in without complaint, Mr. Lynch follows along and takes the lead and the two head back to the classroom. 

At the door of the classroom, “Dib why don’t you take your seat by your desk, this will probably be awhile.” His teacher explains while Mr. Lynch opens the door and moves to his office table in front of the classroom. 

Dib moves and sits down waiting to hear if he was ratted out by anyone about what happened at lunch. 

“The reason I called you from recess was to talk about your homework assignment that was due today…” 

Dib listened and tuned out the rest of Mr. Lynch’s comments when he remembered that he had his homework in his book bag and forgot to take it out. He was so busy thinking about his dad that he didn’t hear when the teacher asked for the work to be turned in. 

Dib interrupted his teacher to explain, “I did do my homework, sorry Mr. Lynch I have it in my bookbag right here. Let me just grab it…” Dib gets up from his seat and heads to the back of the classroom to retrieve his homework when his teacher calls out to him. 

“That won’t be necessary Dib.” 

Dib turns around from between the door to the back room and the classroom, “what do you mean by that Mr. Lynch?” Dib was confused now, why wouldn’t his teacher want his work if he had it.

“You weren’t listening, were you boy… I said that because you didn’t turn it in when you were supposed to, that assignment will not be counted and you will get an F for it. Regardless if you finished it or not you didn’t follow my rules and that’s why you get that grade now.” Mr. Lynch tried to sound dead pan but gave off the vibe to Dib of enjoying this new power over him. 

“How is that fair or right!?” Dib started to shout at his teacher. 

“Don’t speak to me like that boy! You signed the paper and so did your guardian about the rules that must be followed when it comes to turning in homework…” 

“What paper!? I didn’t sign any paper about stupid rules when it comes to how and when my work can or can not be turned it!” Dib was starting to grow angry with his teacher. It was bad enough what had happened with Gaz in the morning, Leo messing with him but now his teacher picking a fight with him over something as silly as homework.

Mr. Lynch could tell that he was getting under Dib’s nerves but kept pushing, “I have the papers right here in this desk showing your signature as well as your parent signing off that you agreed with the rules of this class.” 

Mr. Lynch bends down from his seat and goes to the bottom drawer and takes out a stack of papers and lets them drop from his hand to the table in front of him. He quickly scans and locates Dib’s signed paper and takes it out to flash Dib with the proof.

Dib moves from the backroom to get a closer look at the old piece of paper, he moves his glasses closer to see that it was true. He recognized his and his dad’s signatures, Dib scrunched his face feeling defeated, tired, and angry. 

Mr. Lynch quietly smiled to himself, he hated Dib’s attitude since the beginning of the school year. He had heard from previous teachers that Dib would be hard to teach since he was really smart and corrected teachers if they called on him or Dib heard an error on the teacher’s part of the lesson and explained why they were wrong. 

“Well now that we got this sorted out, I think you know what needs to be done from now on.” Mr. Lynch told Dib. 

Dib wanted to fight back but if his dad found out that he broke one of the rules that he signed on he felt that his dad would add it to the list of reasons to hate him and punish Gaz more because of it. 

Dib sucked in some air before he spoke up to Mr. Lynch, “it won’t happen again… I will pay more attention from now on…” Dib felt like crying but held it in to not let his teacher enjoy more of his suffering. 

Hearing Dib out Mr. Lynch nodded his head, “well if you understand your mistake then we are done with this discussion.” 

Dib moves to leave the class to head out for recess when he hears a cough from Mr. Lynch, “you only have ten minutes left of recess so there is no point for you to go back out, stay in your seat and wait here until the bell rings,” Mr. Lynch explains to Dib. 

Dib stops moving, his body starting to shake a little, he feels his throat start to clog and his chest starts to grow tense. 

“Can I use the bathroom, sir..?” Dib asks quietly, feeling valuable and small.

“Say that again Dib, I couldn’t hear you.” Mr. Lynch asks even though he did hear at least something about the bathroom from Dib. 

Dib turned around to face his teacher, “ **I said can I use the bathroom, please!!!** ” He shouts this time to Mr. Lynch, his frustration becoming more apparent the longer Dib had to stay close to his teacher. 

“Don’t shout at me Dib, I am right here and since I am in a good mood today, you can go. Just be back here by the time the bell rings, if I come back and find out you aren’t in class I will call security to pick you up and send you to the principal’s office. Is that clear Dib?” Mr. Lynch elaborates to Dib. 

“Yes sir, I will be back before then…” Dib walks away quietly trying to not make a show in front of his teacher until he was a few feet away from the classroom. 

When Dib arrived at the men’s bathroom he checked to make sure he was by himself, after looking around he saw and heard that nobody else was in the bathroom. He moved to the stall that was the farthest from the entrance and closed it behind him. 

When he felt that the door lock in he quickly turned away and started to cry uncontrollably. The tears pour out from his face, the rasping in his voice comes out, coughing. Dib tried to breathe but all that came out was hiccups. 

Everything was happening too quickly for Dib to process. He needed to release his emotions, Dib hadn’t cried in months, he thought showing emotions was a sign of weakness. His father never cried once and thought it was strange even in movies or shows that people did it when they felt so strongly about something or someone. 

Yet here he was feeling horrible and tears soaking his black t-shirt and hands, he felt even worse now that he had these emotions. Sure he understood being angry, frustrated, and sad, but crying was still foreign to Dib. He tried to wipe them off his face but new tears would replace the ones he cleaned off. 

He hated the fact that everything around him was falling apart, first his dad’s approval, Gaz misunderstanding him, Leo messing with him and now this with his teacher. 

Dib spent the rest of the time he had to try to calm himself down and try to look like he didn’t just cry minutes before. 

The rest of the shool day for Dib went by in a flash without much trouble once the two made it home. He ran up the stairs and locked himself in his bedroom for the rest of the day. Dib didn’t want to talk about anything that happened today to Gaz and especially not his dad. Dib moved into his bed without changing his clothes and settled in trying to sleep to help him forget the day’s events and not feel anything for as long as he could sleep. 

Gaz could tell that something was bugging her brother but chose to not bother him until her brother was back to somewhat normal. She made herself some cereal while she played with her games until their dad would come home to program dinner for them.

Membrane came home around seven at night, it was late and one of his coworkers had an experiment go wrong and had to stay longer to report to safety management what had happened. He opened the door to fine Gaz by the tv watching a show while playing more of her game. 

“Kids I’m home,” Membrane calls out to them while putting his suitcase away. 

“Hi, dad!” Gaz calls out from the living room, “what’s for dinner?” She asks while she waits for her dad to come in. 

“You haven’t had dinner yet, Gaz!?” Membrane calls out to his daughter in surprise. That was unusual to him, he always knew that Dib took care of his sister and always found the two already eating by the time he would be home late. 

“Dib isn’t feeling good and went to bed early, dad,” Gaz explains while moving from the living room to the kitchen. 

“What! Is it serious Gazlene? Should I go up and check on him now?” He asked his daughter for the details so he could assess Dib’s situation and react correctly. 

“He just needs time alone dad and sleep, it was a long day at shool…” Gaz halved lied, she didn’t want her dad to yell more especially if he ever found out about what she did to Leo. 

Hearing his daughter’s concerns, Membrane listens and drops his concerns, “if you think that’s what I should do Gazlene then I will do it.”

“Thank you, dad,” Gaz says while waiting on her side of the table to eat whatever her dad asks Foodio to make. 

Membrane just smiles and pats his daughter on the head while getting Foodio ready for dinner. 

After dinner Membrane sets up Gaz to do her homework in her room and goes back down into the basement to see if any new emails have popped up on his website that he had set up the other day. 

When Membrane opens up the computer to the website he finds that there are ten emails with requests to accept his offer of friendship to his son. This news brings joy and a smile to Membrane’s covered face. 

Membrane right aways makes appointments to meet each parent to see which kid or kids would be the best fit for his son. He hoped that one of them would work out and he wouldn’t have to fear for his son’s future anymore. That Dib would come around to appreciate science more and see why science was the way to go. As well as hoping that Dib would be appreciated and loved just like how Membrane grew up. 

After replying to all the emails Membrane turns off the computer and heads to bed early so he could finish the last of his primary work in the lab to focus on his new goal, finding friends for Dib. 


End file.
